Electrical extension conductor and reel



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ELECTRICAL EXTENSION CONDUCTOR AND REEL Filed Oct. 16, 192B 2Sheets-Sheet l llllllllll gnw'nfot I ZmZZmm/ 6. Wheat Get. 1, 1929. w,WHEAT 1 739 104 ELECTRICAL EXTENSION CONDUCTOR AND REEL Filed oct. 16.1928 2 Shams-Sheet 2 mental *1, 1929 UNITED WILLIAM G. WHEAT, OF KANSASCITY, MISSQURI mncrnrcannxrnnsron connuoroa, AND REEL Application filedOctober 18, 1928. Serial No. 312,827.

This invention relates to an electrical extension conductor and reel forconnecting an appliance or translating device to a wall receptacle orthe like, so that the appliance or translating device may be located atany suitable distance from the wall receptacle and any objectionableslack in the conductor readily taken up.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a device ofthe above kind which may be conveniently stored or carried inthe pocketwhen not in use, and which embodies means for readily rolling theconductor into compact form within a casing.

conductor and reel of the above kind which is simple and durable inconstruction, and

economical to manufacture, and wherein the conductor is of tape-likeform for being passedunder rugs and carpets without causing anobjectionable raised ridge therein.

Still another object is to provide an improfed extension conductor andreel of the above kind wherein an attachment plug receptacle or socketmember is eiiectively employed as the winding reel for the conductor,and'wherein said attachment plug receptacle or socket member is somounted in the casing of the reel as to permit the attachment plug ofthe electrical appliance or translating device to be readily pluggedtherein for making electrical connection with the wires of theconductor. Other objects will appear as the nature of same consists inthejnovel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawingsand claimed.

In the drawings: r

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the extension conductor and reel inuse in connec tion with a. wall receptacle and an electric lamp.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 1 with thelamp and its socket removed, and with the'conductor substantiallyentirely wound upon the reel with A further object is to provide anextension the invention is better understood, and the its attachmentplug disconnected from the wall receptacle.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section. taken on line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sec tion taken on line 66 of Figure3.

Figure 7 is a central longitudinal section of the insulating body of theattachment plug receptacle or socket member formin the winding reel ofthe device; and- Figure 8 is an enlarged transverse section of theconductor.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, there isprovided a flat hollow casing 5 of circular form provided with aperipheral opening or slot 6 through which the? conductor- 7 is freelypassed, a pair of anti-friction rollers 8 being journaled in the opening6 so that the con ductor 7 may be passed therebetween for beingefiectively protected against chafing when drawn into or out of thecasing 5.

J ournaled centrally of and within the casing 5 is an attachment plugreceptacle or socket member having a body 9 of insulatin material whichforms the reel upon whic the conductor 7 is adapted to be wound. Thebody 9.has'its outer end jonrnaled in and exposed through a relativelylarge open' in one side wall 10 of the casing 5, the wal 10 having anannular flange 11 about. this opening to present a wide bearin surfacefor the body 9 at this 'oint.' Attac ed to the other or inner end 0 thebody 9 is a stub shaft or spindle .12 journaled in a relativel smallcentral opening of the other or opposite sidewall 13 of the casing 5,thus completing the rotatable mounting of the attachment plug rece tacleor socket member in said casing.

T e attachment plug rece tacleor socket member of the device is ogenerall well known construction, wherein the ho y 9 is provided with apair of longitudinal openings orpassages 14 into which the contact pinsof a conventional attachment plug are adapted t6 be forced for makingelectrical connection with the usual contact springs or strips 15 thatare disposed and secured within the openings or passages 14. Flatlydisposed against the inner end of the body 9 is a disk 16 of insulatingmaterial having a diametric groove 17 in its inner face to provide apas-- sage through which the bared ends of the wires 18 of the conductor7 may be conveniently passed for suitable and convenient con nectionwith the adjacent ends of the respective spring contact strips 15. Thedisk 16 is firmly fastened to the end of the body 9 by means of a pairof bolts 19 which pass through a second pair of longitudinal openingsprovided in the body 9' and are. threaded into screw-threaded openingsof ametal plate or disk 20 firmly riveted or attached to the inner endof the stub shaft 12. Obviously, thestub shaft 12 is rigidly attached tothe body 9 of the attachment plug receptacle or socket member by thesemeans. The outer end of the stub shaft 12 may be flanged as at 21 toengage the outer face of the wall 13 about the ad acent opening, therebysecurely retaining the attachment plug receptacle in place within thecasing.

While the reel-forming body 9 may be associated with spring means fornormally winding the conductor 7' thereon, the body 9- is shown asprovided with manually operable; means for turning the same toaccomplish this purpose. This manual means consists of a folding handlehaving one section rigid with the flange 22 of the stub shaft 12, and aswinging section having a knob 2-4 at the free end thereof. In order toaccommodate the knob 24 when the handle is folded, the stub shaft 1.2 ispreferably of hollow open-ended form as shown clearly in Figures 4 and6.

The body 9 of the attachment plug receptacle is preferably provided witha pair of diametric passages or openings 25 to accommodate stitching 26by means of which the inner end of the conductor 7 is attached to saidbody 9 for being wound upon the latter when said body is rotated.

It will be noted that the conductor 7 is of fiat tape-like form. and asshown, the same consists of a pair of superimposed ribbons 26 of fabricor suitable insulating material stitched together along and adjacenttheir longitudinal edges to provide a pair of spaced longitudinal hemsthrough which the wires 18 extend. The conductor wires 18 are preferablyof flat braided form and have a suitable covering of insulation as at27. The rows of-stitching to form the hems or pockets for the conductorwires 18 are indicated generally at 28. A conventional. form of at.-tachment plug 29, adapted for cooperation with a wall receptacle 30 orthe like, is at tached to the outer end of the conductor 7 by having theconductor wires 18 connected to the terminals of the contact pins 31 ofsuch attachment plug 29.

In the use of the invention illustrated, the plug 29 is engaged in thewall receptacle 30,

' the art.

and an electric lamp 32 is engaged in the socket member 33 of an adapterhaving contact pins adapted to be plugged into the passages 14 forengaging contacts 15. In this way the current is supplied to the lamp32, and by unwinding the conductor 7 from the body 9, the lamp may beextended to any desired point remote from the wall receptacle withoutleaving any objectionable. slack in the conductor 7 outside of thecasing 5. However, it is obvious that the attachment plug of anysuitable appliance or translating device may be plugged into the body 9.and due to the flat form of the conductor 7, it may be extended undercarpets or rugs without producing objectionable raised ridges in thelatter.- y unfolding the handle'23, it may be utilized to wind theconductor in the casing 5 when the device is not required for use.

From the above description it is believed that the construction,advantages, and manner of use of the invention will be readilyunderstood and appreciated by those skilled in It is apparent that theinvention provides a very simple, durable and compact construction inwhich a conventional attachment plug receptacle or socket member iseffectively utilized as the winding reel and is so mounted in the casingas to permit an attachment plug to bereadily engaged therewith at oneside of the casing to place the wires of the conductor 7 in electricalconnection with the wires of an appliance or translating device carryingsaid attachment plug. Further, only so .much of the conductor 7 as isneeded is unreeled, thereby protecting the remainder from damage andwear.

Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. An electrical extension conductor and reel comprising a casing, anattachment plug receptacle having a body of insulating material providedwith longitudinal passages and terminal contacts within said passagesrespectively adapted formeception of and engagement by the contact pinsof an attachment plug, said body having its outer end journaled in andexposed through one side of the casing, a tape-like conductor having oneend attached to said body and having its wires connected to therespective terminal ment plug, said body having its outer end journaledin and exposed through one side' of the casing, a tape-like conductorhaving one end attached to said body and having its wires connected tothe respective terminal contacts of said receptacle, a hollow stub shaftrigidly secured to the inner end of said bodyand journaled in theopposite side of said casing,'and an attachment plug connected to theother end of said conductor, and a foldable handlecarried by the outerend of said stub shaft.

3. An electrical extension conductor and reel comprising a casing. anattachment plug receptacle having a body of insulating material providedwith longitudinal passages and terminal contacts within said passagesrespectively adapted for reception of and engagement by the contact pinsof an at; tachment plug, said body having its outer end journalcd in andexposed through one side of the casing, a tape-like conductor having oneend attached to said body and having its wires connected to therespective terminal contacts of said receptacle. a hollow stub shaftrigidly secured to the inner end of said body and journaled in theopposite side of said casing, and an attachment plug connected to theother end of said conductor, and a foldable handle carried by the outerend of said stub shaft, said stub shaft being of hollow open-ended form.said handle having a knob positionable within said stub shaft when thehandle is folded.

4. An electrical extension conductor and reel comprising a casing. anattachment plug receptacle having a body of insulating materialjournaled in and exposed through one side of the casing at its outerend, said body having longitudinal contact pin receiving passages andterminal contacts within said passages exposed at the inner end of saidbody. an insulating disk upon the inner end of said body provided witha-\ diametric groove, a tape-like conductor attached at one end to saidbody and having its conductor wires extended through said groove of theinsulating disk and connected to the terminal contacts of the body, astub shaft journaled in the opposite side wall of the casing and havinga plate secured to the inner end thereof, and bolts extending throughthe body and the insulating disk and threaded into the plate of the stubshaft for rigidly securing the parts together.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM G. WHEAT.

